Secretary Roll Top Desk

I’ve been working on this project for a few months. My wife really needed a place to do her paper and computer work. I thought she deserved something really special. This is the result. We don’t have room or need a full size roll top desk but the idea of having a roll top so she can slide it closed to keep papers out of reach of the kids and dog. The desk is entirely oak with the exception of the inside of the drawers which are Aspen.

The roll top consists of 26 individual slats. Most roll tops consist of slats that are glued to a canvas backing. I really wanted this to be special and didn’t want the usual canvas backed tambour because you can usually see the canvas when the tambour flexes. This one utilizes Rockler Tambour router bits that form interlocking slats. Each slat interlocks with the preceding one and the whole tambour is held together with steel cables (aircraft aileron cable) that runs though the middle of each slat. There are four cables in this tambour that run top to bottom. Because the cables run though the middle of the slats, they are completely invisible and extremely strong! The ends of each slat has a tenon that rides in the groove. The tenon makes the grove completely hidden.

The left side of the desk includes three envelope slots and two paper trays.

The middle is sized perfectly to hold a laptop.

The right side is holds a very special part. That is a 129 year old Post Office Mail box dated 1881 that came from Tombstone Arizona. This post office box was in service when the famous Gunfight at OK Coral happened just a stones throw away. It’s been installed here and the combination lock is fully functional. Instead of holding mail for Wyatt Earp it is a special spot where my wife can lock away small items for safekeeping or as a place to stash goodies so they are out of reach of the kids.

The remainder of the left side consists of two drawers that were made with hand cut dovetails. I’m very new to making hand cut dovetails so I’m very pleased with how well these turned out. The left side also provides for two paper trays.

There is a pencil drawer in the bottom of the desk is also dovetailed and the base of the desk has tapered legs.

It was a lot of work. The tambour alone took many hours but in my opinion it was well worth it.